Wednesday, November 07, 2007

shouldn't there be a warning label?

Last night was the first of six childbirth classes for Mark and I. Although (more than a little) intrigued, I'm not quite ready to go ahead and have the baby there - but we are taking a natural childbirth class offered by the birth center.
Our class is small - only four couples total - although last night, two of the women were husband-less for the evening. It's an interesting group of people - one gal already has 2 kids, we're in different life stages, and some different personalities. It should be good - all differences aside, you can tell there's a common goal in the group. Last night was kind of introductory, but I'm looking forward to soaking up as much information as I can in the next month or so.
Childbirth class is a very female-type of experience - Mark was a trooper. I think it will help a little when the other husbands show up and even out the ratio a little bit.
To quote (more or less) my husband in his review of the evening (which included 2 fairly graphic videos, a flipchart with real-life pictures, and a demonstration that involved a baby doll and stuffed pelvis & placenta):
"It's childbirth class, so I know you're going to be seeing that stuff. I just didn't think that by the end of the first week of class I wouldn't even notice that we were looking at another woman's (parts)."
I did feel a little bad for him - but I'm loving the fact that he's right there with me. I've got a good one.

2 thoughts:

Sarah Halter said...

I have a friend who took a class there recently and found it very empowering and wonderful preparation. She's not going to have the baby there, but she has a very supportive doctor from the MSU health team that is open to her birth plan and preferences. Must be exciting! Props to Mark for being a wonderfully supportive husband and such a trooper!

Ashleigh Baker said...

What a guy! :) Husbands ARE such troopers throughout this whole thing--well, the good ones are, and the other ones should be. ;) ;)

I just looked extensively through your birth center's site... their rooms look even nicer than the ones at mine! Let me just say this, as I sit here nursing my little guy born five days ago in a birth center :), if you have the opportunity to have your baby there, TAKE IT! I've done it both ways--Troy was a typical hospital birth, and Merritt was natural, in the water, at the birth center--and can say that there is nothing like having a baby in that kind of environment. It was wonderful. Just wonderful. Something I'd do again in a hearbeat. :)